Nuclear shipping a step closer
International governments and industry are developing frameworks to enable nuclear-powered commercial ships and maritime energy
Nuclear-powered commercial shipping has moved closer to deployment after governments, regulators and industry gathered in Washington DC to address barriers to using nuclear energy at sea.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s launch of the ATLAS initiative, in partnership with the US Government, brings together governments, regulators, international organisations and industry to develop practical frameworks for maritime nuclear technology.
The Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO) described the initiative as a potential turning point for commercial shipping, saying the industry’s debate is shifting from whether nuclear propulsion is viable to how it can be deployed internationally.
“The future of commercial shipping is nuclear,” said NEMO chief executive Virginia Crosbie, adding that the technology already exists but that international regulatory, legal, insurance and commercial frameworks must be developed to support commercial deployment.
The initiative comes amid growing US interest in maritime nuclear technology. The US Maritime Administration has consulted industry on advanced nuclear technologies for maritime applications, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright has made nuclear expansion a central element of US energy policy.
NEMO said the potential market extends beyond nuclear-powered vessels to floating nuclear power plants and offshore nuclear energy. Such facilities could provide reliable electricity to ports, islands, coastal communities and industrial sites where grid capacity is limited.
Crosbie said maritime nuclear was ‘much bigger than putting a reactor on a ship’, arguing that it could create new markets for clean and reliable energy while supporting energy security and resilient global trade.
Nuclear propulsion has a long maritime history, including naval vessels, icebreakers and the NS Savannah, which demonstrated civilian nuclear propulsion more than six decades ago.
However, commercial deployment presents new regulatory challenges because nuclear-powered ships must operate across multiple jurisdictions and visit ports subject to different legal and safety regimes. “No single company, regulator or country can solve it alone,” said Crosbie.
NEMO said ATLAS could help coordinate the nuclear and maritime sectors as they develop international safety, regulatory, legal and commercial arrangements needed to support a new generation of nuclear-powered ships.